


Love Me tender

by iceprinceloki



Series: The Decent Moments [17]
Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Growing Up, Healing, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Relationship Discussions, Relationship Problems, Strength, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:07:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23156050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceprinceloki/pseuds/iceprinceloki
Summary: Armand and Daniel have a little chat about Daniels reticence
Relationships: Armand/Daniel Molloy, Armand/Daniel Molloy/Louis de Pointe du Lac, Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac, Daniel Molloy/Louis de Pointe du Lac
Series: The Decent Moments [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593007
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Love Me tender

They sat across from each other in stony silence. Neither knew what to say or do as the tension had been building between them through their hunt and subsequent walk through the streets of New York.

‘So…’ Daniel sighed finally. ‘I owe you an apology and you owe me an explanation.’

Armand nodded and hugged himself around his middle. They had chosen to sit in the park not far from their flat, to have the conversation in a private and soothing environment. Daniel loved parks, it was usually where one could find him when he was thinking or trying to plan something. It was where all this had started really, with Daniel and Louis in a park.

Daniel smiled meekly and shrugged. ‘I am sorry I made you feel like I don’t want you…that’s really not what I was trying to get at…I do want you, very much, but I want you in the right way.’

‘I know that in my head, but I don’t feel it in my heart.’ Armand replied quietly. ‘I feel disposable and undesirable….I don’t want to feel that anymore. It’s why I asked you both to please trust me again. I can consent, even after what happened I am allowed and capable of consenting; knowing full well what will happen, knowing full well that I can retract that consent at anytime.’

Daniel felt uncomfortable when Armand finished speaking and waited expectantly for his fledgling to answer. How could he answer something like that? Consent was consent, but to Daniel this was more complicated because how could it be consent if it’s coloured by pain and trauma?

Prostitutes consent but that doesn’t mean they really consent because they aren’t really willing. Teenagers could consent without really consenting because they don’t know what they were getting into. Armand couldn’t consent because he was confused and he was using sex as an escape.

‘Boss I know you think it’s what you need or want but I’m worried that this isn’t good for you. I don’t want you to look back on this with anger or shame or anything like that….’

Anger flickered across Armand’s face. ‘You don’t think I can consent because in your opinion it’s for the wrong reasons?’

‘No! That’s not what I mean!’ Daniel interjected, just as angry. ‘I’m trying to look out for you! I’m trying to protect you!’

‘From what?!’ Armand snapped back indignantly. ‘I am in no danger from you or Louis!’

‘It’s not about physical Danger Armand!’

‘Then what is it? It sure as hell isn’t emotional danger. I love you both and trust you implicitly. Yes I will have my reservations and my moments of fear, but I trust you to see me through it!’ Armand was steadfast and wearing on Daniels nerves at a rapid rate. ‘You can’t deny me because you refuse to accept my ability to consent! You can’t withhold sex from me because you think I can’t take it!’

‘And what about my consent Armand?!’ Daniel burst out, slamming a fist into the tree he was leaning against. ‘What about my consent?’

Armand had briefly felt ashamed as he realized he hadn’t considered his lovers own right to consent. This was all very messy and unnecessary and Armand took a deep breath, intending to sooth Daniel and bring the tension down a level. Daniel lashed out again before Armand could speak.

‘Did you consider that I am not just withholding because of your wellbeing, but because I am not comfortable with having sex with you as you are?!’

That hurt. That hurt a lot. Armand felt winded, Daniel may as well have beaten him bloody. He felt hot tears on his face and saw the shame and self-loathing of Daniels face.

‘Wait boss I didn’t mean it like that!’

Armand stood up and stomped off, not interested in hearing his lovers excuse. Daniel was jogging beside him.

‘Armand wait! Just stop! Stop!’ He grabbed Armand by the arms and forced the smaller male to face him. 

Armand snarled and tried to pull free. Daniel pulled him into a hug.

‘I didn’t mean anything like that, you know I would never….’ Daniels words made Armand go slack in his arms. ‘I-I don’t know what to do boss….I’m scared too…’

Armand pulled away to look at his child and saw the smears of blood on his pale cheeks. Daniel looked how Armand felt, shattered and lost.

‘I never thought this would happen, and I never thought it would feel like this….’ Daniel confided in a small voice. ‘Intimacy is so wonderful to me, and I’ve never ever seen it in a negative light ever….and now that I have to see the dark side of it I just don’t know what to do…’

Armand took Daniels hand and led him to a bench where he pushed the fledgling down and then took a seat on the man’s lap. Armand cupped Daniels face and looked him in the eye.

‘I didn’t think about how you must be feeling through this…’ Armand confessed apologetically. ‘Louis was fine and I just assumed that you would be as well…I never considered your innocence in this, I’m sorry I pushed you…’

Daniel shrugged and looked away, he sniffled and wiped his cheeks. ‘S’okay, I shoulda said something….’

Armand couldn’t help but smile at the way his fledgling spoke when he was embarrassed. Daniel didn’t need to feel embarrassed though, he thought with a frown, Daniel had every right to feel how he did. Armand and Louis had let their lover down, it was their fault this fight had happened.

‘I’m sorry Daniel, I understand how you feel now, I think. I know it feels like your world is on its head, I feel that way too, but that’s why we are out here having this talk; that’s why we agreed to never hide how we felt.’ Armand stroked his partners hair lightly. ‘I wouldn’t have forced you…I was frustrated that you were taking the decision out of my hands; I only saw you trying to coddle me, I didn’t see you feeling afraid….’

Daniel sighed and nestled his face in his makers neck, he was enjoying those long thin fingers stroking through his hair, scratching the base of his skull. He had missed his maker, he had missed talking to him, being close with him. He had missed feeling like he was a part of his lovers life. Armand squeezed him tightly and kissed his forehead.

‘I told you that it’s not that I don’t want to….’ Daniel sighed. ‘That’s the truth, I do want to. I just don’t know how…’

‘I am sure you know how by now my heart!’ Armand tried to tease playfully but only got an annoyed look from his fledgling.

‘Haha very funny….’ Daniel pouted. 

Armand laughed softly and kissed his cheek apologetically. ‘I’m sorry, I know what you mean. I remember when I was with Louis the first time I tried to look so calm and nonchalant. I tried to hide my desire, I was afraid it would spook him…but I also didn’t know what to do, I didn’t want to drive him away or make him feel in anyway threatened or in danger of being assaulted again. I was so afraid of hurting him….eventually I just let him make every move. I let him come to me and decide on everything. ’

Daniel stared at him, riveted and soaking up every word like a sponge. Armand smiled patiently and tugged Daniels hair gently. ‘I have been where you are in my own way….the difference is that Louis’ trauma had been passed for some few years, and he didn’t demand I help him push through….’

‘I panicked.’ Daniel blurted.

Armand cocked an eyebrow in confusion and Daniel huffed irritably. ‘I panicked when you just outright demanded I take you. I didn’t know what to do, my brain switched off.’

Armand laughed softly and kissed him chastely. ‘It’s alright, I won’t make your brain switch off again, God knows it barely does you any good when it is switched on!’

Armand jumped off of Daniels lap before Daniel could get the words through his head. Armand backed away slowly with a huge grin on his face as Daniel suddenly realized he had been insulted.

‘Why you-!’ Daniel jumped up and started to chase his maker.

Armand cackled with laughter and finally he turned to face Daniel just in time for Daniel to knock him flat on his back. Daniel lay on him laughing and Armand cupped his face and kissed him deeply, a happy smile on his face.

Daniel pulled away and stared down at him nervously. Armand kissed him again, gentler this time, Daniel leaned into the kiss cautiously. A few more kisses and Daniel was finally coaxed to participate. He ran his tongue across Armand’s lower lip and when Armand didn’t open for him Daniel whined and nipped at his lips instead. Armand gasped a laugh which Daniel took advantage of. Daniels hands came up to wrap in Armand’s hair, his forearms framing Armand’s face.

Armand slid his hands down slowly to Daniels waistband, he let his finger slid just below the beltline to stroke the tops of Daniels buttocks. Daniel pulled away again and Armand crooned gently to him.

‘Settle down…don’t hold yourself back, just let things happen if they will happen….I’m alright if you are…’

Daniel swallowed hard but nodded anyway and returned to kissing his maker. Armand felt relaxed under his fledglings tender kisses, he was glad they had come out to talk things through. It may not have had the outcome he had hoped for but it was the outcome that was needed.

Daniel needed to be happy as much as Armand did. As a team they would overcome the new obstacle in their way. Armand knew that although he was afraid of not being able to follow through on what they had been doing his lovers would find a way to get him to where he wanted to be. Daniel was right, he needed to take his time, it wasn’t just his life or his feelings that needed to be considered.


End file.
